Maybe the source of all this trouble can be discovered if I return to my room, Cassia thought to herself. That was where everything started.
Walking on four legs was a new experience, and Cassia was unsure she could pass for a cat if she were discovered. After all, how did cats behave? Although there were quite a few around to keep down the mouse and rat population, she had never really paid attention to their mannerisms. She grimaced as the thought of eating as a cat crossed her mind. She was fairly certain there was no way she would be able to stand eating raw meat, let alone a rat, even if she were able to catch one. Unsteady and shivering wet, she tottered back in the direction of the castle. Thankfully, the night was overcast, and the darkness helped to hide her uncertain movements, although she could see quite well with her new eyes. She successfully avoided any guards and managed to find her way back to the castle.
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However, she came across a larger problem. With paws, she would be unable to open any doors, even if she were somehow able to reach the doorknob. Dejected, Cassia sat down on her haunches in some bushes near the secluded door which she had used to exit. She pondered her quandry, although she was distracted at times by her tail, which twitched back and forth nervously when she got lost in thought. At least she was beginning to dry off, although her fur still looked a mess. She remembered seeing cats licking themselves to clean their fur, but Cassia couldn't bring herself to do that either. She decided she would just have to bear it, and concentrated on the more immediate issue.
At that moment, Cassia felt her ears turn toward a high-pitched sound. The sensation was disconcerting, but the sensitivity of her new ears was something she had appreciated when making her way back to the castle in order to avoid the guards. Turning her head towards the noise, she caught sight of movement. She noticed a small mouse, and realized that was what had made the noise. Remembering her earlier thoughts about cat cuisine, she nearly turned away in disgust, but before she could do so, the mouse ran towards the castle wall and disappeared. Puzzled, Cassia padded over to the spot where she had seen last seen the critter, only to be greeted by a rather small, concealed crevice in the palace wall. It was definitely too small for a human, and she was unsure if she could squeeze her way in even in her new form, but seeing no other options, she decided to try.
Cassia pushed her head into the opening, a bit discomfited by the sensation of her pointy ears being pushed back against her skull. Managing to maneuver her head through, she was surprised at how easily the rest of her feline body followed. She found herself within the palace walls, and seeing a soft light in the distance, she found a tiny ventilation opening which she could exit through. She was grateful to be back in familiar surroundings, although everything felt looming and over-sized in her new form. Clinging to the walls and shadows, she warily began to make her way back to her room.
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Relieved to finally reach the wing of the castle which housed her room without incident, Cassia nearly let down her guard. In fact, did not even notice the approaching footsteps until the faint light of a candle reached her new eyes. Not seeing any place to hide, Cassia nearly panicked until she noticed another small ventilation hole on one side of the hallway. Scrambling into the opening just in time, Cassia heard a nearby door open and shut, then saw a faint glimmer from the other end of the shaft. Although she wanted to return to her room, Cassia was unsure she could turn in the narrow space, so she carefully made her way forward. Peeking out from the shadows, she was shocked to discover that the shaft led into the quarters of none other than Aron Turet, her father's disgusting right-hand man. Turet stood before a full-length mirror, removing his vestments. Her ears twitched as they picked up the sound of Turet talking to himself.
"Well," he muttered, "its only a matter of time. She can't stand him either, and if she's desperate enough, there's no one else for her to turn to. It's too bad the wench's mother didn't die before giving birth to her, that would have saved me some trouble, but if I take her as my bride, I can still claim the throne. And after all, she's not that bad to look at. Of course," he stated imperiously, "I would never let her behave so poorly as my wife. Imagine, begging for the life of that peasant scum. It's unseemly!"
Her eyes widened in disbelief as Cassia realized the person Turet was talking about was none other than herself. She was too shocked to even move, but nothing could have prepared her for what she heard next.
"At least that pathetic queen died before giving birth to a male heir, that would have presented more issues. Acting when we did was the right decision after all," Turet nodded at his reflection while removing his neck-kerchief and loosening his collar. "And if the wench proves recalcitrant, well, we can just deal with her as we did with the mother."
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Cassia was not sure why, but the thought that her mother had been murdered had never once occurred to her. Hearing someone speak so casually of causing a loved one's death came as quite a shock, and she was to stupefied to even think. After the initial disbelief, all she could feel was the heat of hatred welling up inside of her. It seemed to grow and spead until her very skin was on fire, as though she was being burned alive from the inside. The pain was so extreme that she did not even bother to consider Turet's presence, but clawed her way out of the shaft and collapsed just inside his room. Thankfully, where she fell was hidden from his view by the bed and some furniture, not that Turet would have been bothered by the presence of a mere cat.
Cassia spasmed and writhed in pain, her body feeling as though the heat would make her explode. Through her agony, she recalled once having seen a performer hold an empty, oddly-shaped cloth back above a flame. The bag had expanded almost as though by magic, revealing the shape of a kitten. Although she was not sure why that memory should come to her at this time, it was the only thing to which she could equate what she was feeling. She was so lost in her pain and memories that she failed to notice the fact that her body was, in fact, expanding in the light of the moon, which had broken through the clouds and lent an eerie shimmer to the room. After what seemed like hours but were mere seconds, the torment stopped, and Cassia felt as though she were merely looking at the world through someone else's eyes. She realized she had no control whatsoever as her now much larger but still relatively feilne body raised itself on all four cruelly-clawed paws.
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Now clothed in nothing but his undergarments, Turet blew out the candle which sat on the nearby table and turned towards his bed. In the dim light, he noticed two strange points sparkling in the moonlight on the other side of the room. Curious but not wary, he waited for his eyes to adjust. The points seemed unwavering as he watched them, but as his eyes adjusted, he became aware that there was mass behind them; a large body which now shimmered lightly in the moonlight. Too surprised to even call for the guards, Turet's mouth hung open in a soundless scream as the shadowy form launched itself from the floor and dagger-like fangs slid into his ample throat.
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Cassia could only look on in horror as her body moved on its own. While she was aware that her form was still feline, its size had grown to that of a major predator. Cassia could feel the tension in her muscles, readying itself for the spring. As she flew across the room and buried her muzzle in Turet's flabby neck, she was aware of the warm gush of blood from his arteries spraying herself and a good part of the room. Even after he was dead, her body did not stop tearing him to pieces, although it showed no intention of actually eating him. Finally satisfied with its handiwork, her head raised itself from what was left of Turet, and Cassia felt her tongue run over her huge fangs, still warm and wet from Turet's blood. Her last memory before blacking out completely was of looking at the moon through the splatter of blood which had landed on the window, making it appear as though the silver orb itself was bleeding. She raised her muzzle in its light and gave something between a howl and a roar, a sound which would chill the blood of all who heard it. As the clouds returned to cover the moon, as though the heavens were closing the curtains on her deadly play, Cassia lost consciousness.
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Groggily, just before dawn Cassia came to at the sound of a door opening. The scream which followed jolted her to awareness. She scrambled up, only to find herself unable to gain her footing due to the fact that she now had four to contend with.
It wasn't just a nightmare! she thought in shock. But I'm small, so maybe I only imagined...
Cassia was quickly disabused of that notion as she realized the scream had been prompted by the maid's discovery of what remained of Aron Turet. The blood around her and on her fur had dried, so Cassia left no trail as she scurried back through the ventilation shaft and into the hallway. Distracted by the commotion, none of the responding guards noticed a rather miserable-looking cat slink through the hallway and towards another area of the castle. Cassia managed to make it back to her room, able to enter through another ventilation hole at the foot of the wall. Terrified and worried about being discovered, she crept under her beautiful bed and curled up, exhausted from the horror of that night. The idea that she had not only killed someone, but in such a brutal manner scared her, especially since she had had no control over the matter. She had wanted power, but not like this. What if she hurt innocent people? How could she stop herself? What if someone found out what she did? Was she stuck as this monster forever? With her mind in turmoil, her body finally gave out and she drifted off to sleep.
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Not certain of how long she had slept, Cassia awoke feeling rather achy. As she attempted to sit up, still in a half-asleep stupor, she bumped her head on the underside of the bed above her. Rubbing the bump, she absently wondered how she had ended up under her bed. It took a second before she realized she had hands, and looking down at herself, it appeared that except for some strange brownish substance on her body and the fact that she was unclothed, the events of the night before might have never truly occurred. Scrambling out from under the bed on her belly, Cassia ran to the full-length mirror in her room, so relieved to find she was human again that she did not consider what the odd mottling on her skin really was. Standing before her reflection, she observed that the brownish tinge was all around her mouth and a great deal of her face, as well as her shoulders and even in her hair. It was only at that moment that Cassia realized what she was covered in was actually dried blood.
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After a frantic scrubbing in her bathroom, Cassia huddled under the covers of her bed, still nude, but absent the bloody coating. The memories of the night before came flooding back, and now that she was no longer distracted by having a feline form, she faced the full onslaught of her human conscience. True, Turet had been a monster, and he may have even murdered her mother, but she had killed him with her own hands...well, claws, but it had been her body that had done the deed. But how? Within the space of twelve hours she had been changed from a princess to a cat to a murderous beast, and then back again to a princess as though nothing had happened. She already knew just killing Turet would not change the country, so what had it all been for? Was the spell over, or was there more to it? Would she change back into that beast, or something worse?
Cassia was torn from her thoughts by a knock at her door.
"My lady, if you please, his majesty demands your presence. There has been...an incident," the maid said falteringly.
Although she wanted more time to sort out her thoughts, Cassia knew she had to respond. Finally, she decided to...